One of the components of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is to assist the States with the ever increasing burden of paying unemployment benefits to the ever increasing ranks of the unemployed. Because many States pay much lower benefits than others, one of the conditions to receiving this money is that these States raise their benefits to a more sensible level. Unfortunately, the Republicans on Capitol Hill have decided to be against it. Interestingly though this has revealed a rift in the GOP. Despite the unanimous opposition to the ARRA on Capitol Hill, many Republican Governors including Florida governor Charlie Crist and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger are behind it.
Most pundits agree that the reason behind this trend is that our State governors are facing real crisis at home and regardless of their political ideology have neither the time or the option to do otherwise. It's like Governor Crist said on Sunday's Meet the Press. The people of Florida have to come first. He also said "I think he's (Obama) on the right track." Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who also supports the ARRA in an interview on ABC's This Week said "You've got to go beyond just the principles."
But some Republican Governors, mostly of southern States, have come out against the ARRA. The other commonality connecting the GOP governors opposing the ARRA is that they are also the most likely to be among those competing for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2012. Most noticeably Louisiana's Republican governor Bobby Jindal and Mississippi's Republican Governor Haley Barbour. The two up and coming southern Republicans have even gone as far as stating they may turn down "some" of the ARRA money. Fortunately for these States the likelihood that the governors would be able to do such a thing on their own is pretty much zero.
The point of today's article is to wonder; Are these Republicans so clueless that they truly believe that the economic crisis has been overblown and that doing nothing is the answer? Or are they so consumed with lust for power that they are willing to risk the security of our nation to get it. Rush Limbaugh recently re-affirmed that he absolutely does want President Obama to fail. And as far as this correspondent is concerned for the Republicans on Capitol Hill and the obviously politically motivated GOP governors who oppose ARRA, to predict failure amounts to the same wish. And that wish is that President Obama will fail. Apparently these guys don't care what "failure" could mean.
The bottom line is that our nation is facing the most serious economic crisis in our history and as usual the Republicans want to play politics. I suppose I have to assume this is all just a big game to these idiots. To the elected Republicans who oppose the ARRA; Good people are hurting, children are hungry, sick people are waiting. STOP clinging to your failed ideology and do your job. For you to continue your campaign to stop Obama is heartless and a serious disservice to your country. To the moderate Republicans who support the ARRA. Take your Party back. The fringe neocons that have hijacked the GOP have driven it into the ground. Despite what many say about me I believe our country needs a healthy two-party political system. And I truly fear that if left in the hands of idiots like Jindal, Barbour, and Limbaugh, soon there may not be a Republican Party.
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Devin Barber, Politics Correspondent
Devin's column, "Left Of The Right" published weekly or more to Gather Essentials: Politics is a Blue Collar Democrats take on current political news.
Devin was raised by proud Roosevelt Democrats. Being the son of parents counted among the throng of Americans displaced by the Great Depression has given Devin a deep rooted passion for causes dealing with the poor and the working class.
You can find all of Devin's columns at; http://gather.com/leftoftheright
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Comments: 34
They are just playing politics and don't really care whom they hurt.
Guess the GOP thinks so. They still want to be the party of "NO!"
I wonder if Jindal might actually make a serious contender for the Republicans in 2012. As a believer in evolution, I hope not. I feel pretty sure that Barbour has no chance. He's a jerk. Right at this moment, Republicanism looks like a regional party with a power base only in the South. But politics can change as quickly as the weather.
I am not arguing, Devin. But the politicizing of our economic crisis is a two sided coin. As President Obama JUST SAID: "We are all complicit in this problem".
Mary wants to get away from her husband, Joseph, because he's abusive towards her and their children. Her sister in Baton Rouge has offered to let them come stay with her, but that will mean Mary will have to quit her job in Lafayette. Under current law, she wouldn't be eligible for unemployment payments. Under the new law, she would.
Or, the company Mary works for her told her she is being transferred to Baton Rouge. If she doesn't go, she loses her job. But her husband, Joseph, will have to quit his job in Lafayette if the family is going to stay together. Under current law, Joseph wouldn't be eligible for unemployment. Under the new laws, he would.
Or, Joseph is paralyzed after a car accident. Mary quits her full-time job and starts looking for a part-time job that will allow her to work and help look after Joseph. Under current law, Mary wouldn't be eligible for unemployment. Under the new laws, she would.
Or, Mary worked for Company X for ten months before being laid-off. Under current laws, she would be ineligible for unemployment. Under the new laws, she would.
These are the kinds of changes Gov. Jindal opposes.
I watched a special on HBO called "Right America-Feeling Wronged." Nanci Pelosi's daughter had taken a video camera around to Republican rallies during the campaign and interviewed attendee's about how they viewed Barack Obama. Pretty gutsy I know. But the interviews she got were scary as hell. The guppy like way these people blindly embraced the wackadoodle nonsense put out by the GOP about Obama was astonishing. I'm beginning to think Bill Mahr is right about the need to administer intelligence tests bedfore allowing people to vote. These were some of the dumbest people I've ever seen. One guy made his own T-shirt that read "DEATH TO SOSHILISUM." When Ms. Pelosi asked the young man what socialism meant, he tried to answer but it was obvious he had no real idea.
Thanks for the info. Of course I'm not surprised, but good stuff.
There has been a civil war going on since the 70's. This war is being fought in the halls of congress and the court rooms. Some nut case neo cons have tried to take it to the streets, but they have failed. The fight has sparked some terrifying moments in our history, from Viet Nam and Iran Contra to 911 and Iraq. I don't remember who said it, but we're in a fight for the ''soul of America''. We must ask ourselves, what we want that ''soul'' to look like. Do we want it to be the CONservatives vision that we're all on our own, and the fittest survives, or do we want the progressive agenda of compassion and neighbor helping neighbor. I do believe that last November, that choice was made. But rest assured, the fascist right will not sit quietly for what we chose. They have declared war on the Obama agenda, and that means bringing down America. After all, their lord and savior Milton Friedman once said;
”only a crisis - actual or perceived - produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. That, I believe, is our basic function: to develop alternatives to existing policies, to keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes politically inevitable”.
They actually believe trickle down economics ''will'' work. We just didn't give it enough time.
As for the governors that say they will refuse the stim money. I'll be interested to know how they get their states out of this mess and keep their people happy. Or maybe they won't, and we will have some more democratic governors next election.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/House-Democrats-propose-410B-apf-14450221.html
Republicans spend our money on war profiteers and welfare for multi-billion dollar corporations.
Democrats spend our money on our people.
Why do they hate the poor so?
That is really what it boils down to.
Why do the Republicans hate the poor?
To deny a human being nutrition... is inhumane. Perhaps those who want to turn the help down should poll their unemployed constituents. Oh, wait, I forgot... they don't matter.